Balancing Solar Development and Farmland Protection
Solar energy production is an important strategy for addressing climate change, and can create opportunities for farmers to diversify their income, reduce energy expenses, and meet on-farm energy needs. However, it is important that solar development does not also result in the loss of critical agricultural resources, displace agricultural production, or impede the ability of farmers to access the land base needed for their operations now and in the future.
To help towns balance solar projects and farmland protection, Maine Farmland Trust (MFT) published a Solar Siting Guide for Maine Towns in June 2022. The guide is part of MFT’s updating of its 2011 Cultivating Maine’s Agricultural Future: A Guide for Towns, Land Trusts, and Farm Supporters.
